Atwater Elementary Say Hello to their Sprouts

Things are coming up in Atwater Elementary! The seeds we planted the first week are making themselves known – we can see squash, garlic, and garden beans starting to grow!

Thursday was a great day to sit back with some basil-mint-lemon water and talk about photosynthesis!

We learned about the different parts of a plant, and how seeds sustain themselves until they can be planted. We talked about how we eat different parts of a plant on different fruits and vegetables, and the importance of knowing what to look for before you harvest something from the garden. We also acted out the life cycle of a plant, from small sleepy seed to big grown tree, then all the way around again.

We also saw several beneficials on this cloudy day, including two praying mantis friends scouring the mint. Unfortunately they moved too fast for this fumbling ranger, so their portraits remain elusive! We also found the markers of a cabbage worm in the garden. No sign of the culprit yet, but we remain vigilant!

Some of the classes were able to make small seed germinating packets. When you soak certain types of seeds, they will start to sprout roots before even getting into the ground! Carrots are especially good for this kind of experiment.

Can’t wait to see how many seeds we were able to sprout, and I’m excited for this heat wave to break so we can get back to the good stuff…playing in soil!

Until next time,

Natalie

Natalie Hodson

Natalie is an industrial designer with a passion for sustainability and building. She inherited her mother’s green thumb, and was fascinated with plants from a young age, spending most of her childhood wandering around the woods in Northeastern Ohio. Now, Natalie loves to spend her time wandering around national parks, trying new foods, and building things. She graduated in 2014 from the Rhode Island School of Design and has lived in LA ever since.